Artwork puts spotlight on domestic violence
An art exhibition created by victims of domestic abuse has been opened as part of the UN Women's 16 Days of campaign.
Women living in refuges run by The Haven Wolverhampton have produced the display which is on show at Wolverhampton Central Library.
As well as containing the work of women from the charity's five refuges, the exhibition, titled I Am Because We Are, details the services that The Haven provides to women and children affected by domestic abuse and homelessness.
The 16 Days of Activism is the UN women’s campaign to raise awareness of gender-based violence and to put an end to violence against women and girls. It runs annually from November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10, which is Human Rights Day.
The art exhibition was created with the support from the University of Wolverhampton’s Laura Onions, lecturer in fine art and Jan Norton, a fine art student. The women have attended a group art session hosted each week since the end of September and worked together to design and create the artwork.
Laura said: "In response to the interest of women from the Haven in making art, this pilot project was set up in September 2019 between the Haven, a women’s refuge and the School of Art at the University of Wolverhampton.
"It’s been a really interesting process in which the women came up with great ideas about the work they wanted to make and the affect this would have on visitors to the exhibition.”
Lucy Owen, community fundraiser at the Haven, said, “Domestic Abuse can cause a woman to lose her self-esteem with her abuser making her feel as if she has no talents or abilities.
"Projects like the art exhibition give women the chance to share positive experiences with other women in refuge but also offer a woman the chance to reconnect with her hobbies which her abuser may have stopped her doing.
"The exhibition will give the audience who attend the chance to not just understand the impact of domestic abuse and the importance of services like The Haven; but also the talents of the women themselves and that experiencing abuse does not define a person."
The City of Wolverhampton Council’s Assistant Chief Librarian Annie Owen said: "Our libraries are keen to support important campaigns like Orange Wolverhampton and have a space for exhibitions suitable for community groups.
"It has been a pleasure to work with The Haven on this project and to act as a donation point for toiletries for the women over the 16 Days."
